“Lina…why don’t you take a few minutes to sober up?” Marci took her arm gently.
“Hey! I’m not drunk!” she yelled. “Ugh. This is boring. Half the guests have left anyway. I’m going to find some real fun.”
Exaggeratingly, she air-kissed Marci’s cheeks. “See you later, hot stuff. You still need to give me all the gory details.”
“Ma’am.” Knox placed his hand on her low back. “We should get you home.”
“Fine! You guys ruin all my fun.”
They escorted her out of the hotel and into a waiting limo. She knew Wade would have called the driver.
Once they were settled, she exhaled roughly. “Hope it took attention away from the mass exodus of our friends to help Brie. Otherwise,” she gestured at her gown, “this pricy thing died for nothing.”
“I hate when you do that.” Wade’s jaw was tight.
“I know. I also know it’s necessary sometimes. I’m the best person for it.”
Safely ensconced in her apartment in Hudson’s building, she walked directly to the shower and washed away the different sort of disguise she wore these days.
Dressed in comfortable clothes, she dropped on the sofa and gratefully took a fresh cup of coffee from Knox.
Her men sat beside her.
“He won’t contact me until he’s sure Brie is out of the woods. I’m going to close my eyes for a little.” She put her cup on the table and laid back.
They held her, covered her in a soft blanket, and supported the strange new life she lived.
As she drifted off, she whispered, “I can’t wait to get back to the mountain.”
* * *
It was the middle of the night when someone knocked on the front door. Knox stood to answer it and stepped back for Hollow to enter.
Sitting up, Galina rubbed her eyes. “Is she okay?”
“Blisters that will heal. Full vision. No permanent damage.” He settled on the coffee table and took her hands. “Thank you, Galina. Every second counted.”
“You’re welcome.”
“I heard about your diversion.” He arched his brow. “Laying it on a little thick?”
She smiled. “Yet sadly believable.”
“Finn gave me your message. Who are you hiding?”
“It just happened. I was in the same place and…I couldn’t leave her, Hollow.”
He stilled and straightened. “No.”
“They would have killed her. She can’t protect herself. You know that. Wade and Knox took out her pursuers. I took her with us.”
She watched him swallow hard. “Is she alright?”
“A couple of broken bones and a lot of bruising that will take time but yes. She’s alright.”
“Her past can’t be allowed to infect you, Galina. What does she want?”
Reaching out, she took his hands and pretended not to notice how they trembled. “Redemption. The same thing she’s wanted for years. Stop ignoring her sacrifice.”
“I won’t forgive her.”
“I’m not asking you to. I’m asking you to help me save her. Like you saved me.”
He closed his eyes. “Where is she?”
“Hay…Hollow.” He whipped his head to the side and stared at a woman who held a power over him no other could. “I tried to convince her not to involve you.”
She’d been beaten. One eye was still swollen shut and she had casts on one arm and her ankle.
Standing, he walked to her side. Placing the side of his hand under her chin, he lifted her face and tilted it to examine her injuries. She remained perfectly still and let him look.
“Who?” he asked her gruffly.
“You know who.” Tears slipped from the corners of her eyes. “The man I betrayed you for.”
The woman started Galina’s oldest friend on a path of self-destruction that led to him forming one of the most powerful anti-crime conglomerates on the planet.
Fueled by pain, by torture, by betrayal…he tried to save the world. It seemed he could not save himself.
He let her go and took a step back. “I’ll get you what you need. Several in the organization will want to help.”
With a single nod, he walked to the door. Galina caught him before he touched the knob. She stared into the face of a fallen angel with haunted silver-gray eyes.
She didn’t speak because words weren’t needed. He hugged her hard and kissed her hair.
Straightening, he stared at the wood of the door for almost a minute. “I’ll keep you safe, Izzy. You have my word.”
In Russian, Galina said, “A single step. Made in honor.”
Replying in the same language, he asked her, “Toward my future…or my death?”
“We all die, my friend. Yours will cause a bigger ripple than most. Give her time to show you how she’s changed and learned from her mistakes.”
“I’m more worried about how I’ve changed.” Looking over his shoulder, he stared at Isabella Hernandez with pain in his eyes. “It’s clear I’ve learned nothing from my mistakes.”
A kiss on her forehead and he was gone.
Turning to Izzy, she murmured, “Everything will be okay.”
Her voice broke with her tears. “When you break the man you love…nothing is ever okay again.”
She returned to the guest room on the first floor and Galina rubbed her hands over her face. “I need sleep.”
Meeting the eyes of her men, she added, “After you touch me, remind me, love me.”
Her heart raced as they moved for her.
Did you enjoy Lina, Wade, and Knox’s story? Read the other books in “The Great Outdoors” series right now!
Sunny’s Heart
Permission to Come Aboard
Permission to Land
Special Delivery
Embrace the Wild
Author’s Note
Two years ago, I unpublished more than 75% of my catalog on Amazon. Since then, I’ve been steadily working my way through the original stories, treating and re-releasing them to my readers.
I’m a better writer today than I was when I started and I recognize that I rushed out too many books close together in my efforts to establish my portfolio as an author.
Lessons learned in my journey.
If you haven’t updated books you purchased prior to 2014, I hope you’ll do that right now (calling and requesting a full “push” of all my books is fastest). You want the new editions (complete with all new covers) and I’d love for you to have them. Then sit back and read them again. If you enjoy what I write, please leave a review or tell a friend.
Thank you for being here, for taking this crazy trip with me, and for your endless patience.
Much love,
Shayne
About Shayne McClendon
Shayne McClendon is an indie author most recognized for her premiere novel “The Barter System.”
Also set in “The Barter System” world (and absolute must reads) are “Hudson” (book two), “Pushing the Envelope” (book three), “Backstage” (book four), “Liberation” (book five), and “Radiance” (book six).
Other releases include “Yes to Everything,” “Completely Wrecked,” “Love of the Game,” and “The Hermit.”
Shayne listens to the voices in her head because their ideas are (almost) always awesome. Those around her don’t question the crazy.
Coffee consumption is too high, amount of sleep is too low, but the words always feel just right.
Stop by her Always the Good Girl website for free stories!
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Embrace the Wild (The Great Outdoors Book 5) Page 16
